Windows 11 has a growing listing of AI features. The OS itself has several features in the category, such as improved Windows Search, Recall, and Click To Do. Multiple Microsoft apps are also gaining AI features regularly, including Snipping Tool, Paint, and File Explorer.
Last week, Microsoft rolled out several AI features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad to Windows Insiders. The release was met with some pushback within online communities. Many people referred to the features as "bloat" or used stronger phrases like "AI slop."
After seeing those comments, I became curious regarding how people feel about AI in Windows 11. Are the new capabilities welcome additions or wastes of space? Perhaps they're somewhere in the middle.
Windows Central gained a new comment system recently. Over the past weeks, it's been great to see the community grow and people share ideas. Our Managing Editor Jez Corden has a regular series on the site in through his "Weekend discussion."
I know it's not the weekend, but it's always a good time to discuss Windows.
How do you view AI features in Windows 11? Are they "bloat," "AI slop," useful additions, or something else entirely? Drop a comment below and weigh in!
AI in Windows 11
Generally speaking, I'm in favor of more features for everyday users. After all, anyone who dislikes a tool or has no use for a specific functionality can just not use that feature. But recent details about Windows 11 have made me question that outlook.
SteamOS recently destroyed Windows 11 in gaming performance and battery life when comparing the two operating systems on identical hardware. It's not exactly new information that Windows 11 has components that slow it down when compared to SteamOS, but the Lenovo Legion Go S having versions with both operating systems presented an ideal opportunity for comparison.
Is AI the reason Windows 11 got outperformed by SteamOS? Probably not. I can't imagine Click To Do is the reason a game hits lower frames per second than Valve's game-focused operating system.
But Windows 11 is a massive operating system that continues to grow. I know there are efforts to streamline it, but much of Windows 11 remains unused by millions of people.
Microsoft is in a tough spot. On one hand, PCs that run Windows are expected to run everything from the most demanding AAA games that are built on cutting edge tech to legacy programs that date back decades. When a single operating system has to cover that full range, unnecessary features are inevitable on many devices.
But Microsoft and its team will need to figure out a balance. Chromebooks, iPadOS, and SteamOS are popular for a reason. A lot of people want stuff that just works and that doesn't have any extra fluff.
Maybe we've reached a point where the one-size-fits-all approach of Windows is antiquated. If that's the case, Microsoft may need to make some new flavors of Windows before losing ground to competing operating systems.
